Thank you all so much for your reviews. I hope you all like this chapter as well, once again I really didn't proof read, it's three in the morning so that's my only excuse. Let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.
Chapter 12
Éomer sighed and looked at Sigeric who looked at him. Sigeric just snorted and seemed to tell him with his eyes that it was not yet time for that. Éomer raised an eyebrow as Sigeric turned his attention ahead again. With a shake of his head he removed the saddle and blanket before he walked out of the stall and closed the door.
"Would it have been so wrong to kiss her?" Éomer asked the horse in a whisper, and Sigeric's eyes told him all he needed to know. They seemed to say that she would not have responded well to his action as she was too emotional right then. Éomer just nodded. "Will I know when the time is right?" Sigeric shook his head and silently told him that she would know and she would act upon it. With another nod the man made his way into the hall confused beyond belief that he just had a silent conversation with a horse and that he had just realized he had finally admitted to himself that he was beginning to care deeply for Avelina, and maybe even love her.
As the days passed, Avelina kept to herself or kept company with Éowyn and worked in the hall. Éomer had been kept busy with duties so she was unable to speak with him and she herself was so busy she found that she had little time to dwell on the words King Theoden shared with her as well as her almost kiss with Éomer.
It was midday on the fifth day since Gandalf left with the hobbit, Pippin, and they had yet to be called upon. Avelina stood quietly talking with Éowyn in the hall when suddenly the doors were opened harshly and Aragorn came running into the hall.
"The Beacons of Minas Tirith! The Beacons are lit!" Aragorn yelled. "Gondor calls for aid!" he exclaimed as he stopped in the middle of the hall. All eyes turned to the king and Éowyn and Avelina moved further into the hall. Avelina felt someone step behind them and her heart began to race as she looked at the king. Éowyn grasped her hand and Avelina gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"And Rohan will answer," the king said strongly. Éowyn squeezed Avelina's hand. Theoden looked in Avelina and Éowyn's direction then behind them. "Muster the Rohirrim!" Éowyn looked behind her and Avelina did the same to see Éomer bow his head. He looked at his sister and put his hand on her shoulder. Then his eyes moved to Avelina. His eyes saddened a bit before he nodded his head to her and quickly left the hall. Avelina looked at Éowyn.
"Does this mean the men ride to war?" she asked Éowyn quietly. Éowyn turned her eyes to her friend and nodded.
"Aye and we ride with them to the encampment," she said before she took her hand and led her down the corridor to their chambers as fast as their legs could carry them. Once there they each packed a small back and grabbed their bedrolls. They met each other in the hall and walked out to the stables. "You ride along side me, Avelina, to the camp and then we will see the men off." Avelina nodded and they reached their destination.
Sigeric was already saddled and as Avelina adjusted her cloak and satchel a presence was behind her. She turned and looked up to meet Éomer's eyes. "My lord?" she asked quietly when she saw the concern that was in his eyes.
"Why do you ride with us?" he asked firmly. She shook her head and cleared her throat.
"I ride with Éowyn. She rides with the party to the encampment and wished me to travel with her," she answered. Éomer nodded but did not move. "Are you angry with me? I know it has been some time since we have been able to speak and-," she was interrupted.
"I am not angry. I simply wanted to be sure you were well." Avelina nodded and gave him a small smile as she held onto Sigeric's reins.
"I am, my lord, however, I am merely frightened of what yo-the men are riding into." Éomer raised his gloved hand to her cheek and caressed it lightly before he quickly lowered it and stepped close to her his eyes never leaving hers.
"Do not be afraid," he whispered and Avelina swallowed hard as her eyes remained locked with his.
"Avelina!" Éowyn called from near the stable. She had lost sight of her when she spoke with Aragorn and was wondering where Avelina had gone to. When she spotted her with Éomer she silently cursed herself for interrupting them. Avelina jumped slightly and looked away at Éowyn before she slowly looked back up at Éomer.
"I will try," she responded and he gave a nod.
"I must go, but I will see you at the encampment." Avelina nodded.
"Of course." Éomer smiled and turned from her and walked to his own horse. She watched as he pulled his helmet on his head and his face suddenly took on the expression she had seen many times during their traveling and came upon bands of orcs.
"Avelina," Éowyn said as she sat on top her horse and Avelina looked at her. "We must ride." Avelina nodded and quickly mounted Sigeric. Éowyn gave her a small smile as they moved to ride with King Theoden, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli.
"Now is the hour, Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken!" Éomer shouted just behind them and Avelina felt her heart race at the strength in his voice. "Now, fulfill them all! To Lord and Land!" It was then that their ride began and Avelina rode along with them not knowing what laid ahead, but ready to meet it just as the company she kept was ready to do the same.
The ride was easy enough and as they rode through the camp, Avelina saw the men stand and look at their king. "Make way for the king!" a man shouted.
"Make way!" another shouted.
"The king is here!" another exclaimed. Avelina looked at them, but their faces all seemed to carry the same expression of slight fear yet hope.
"Hail to you Sire!" a final man yelled. Theoden just held his hand out and nodded his head at his men.
"Grimbold, how many?" Theoden asked a man as they rode past.
"I bring five hundred men from the Westfold, my lord," he said. Theoden nodded before another man spoke.
"We have three hundred more from Fenmarch, Théoden King," he called. Theoden nodded once more and glanced around before he looked at Gamling.
"Where are the riders from Snowbourn?" he asked and Gamling shook his head.
"None have come, my lord," Gamling said. Avelina furrowed her brow as they rode up a pathway to a large cliff. She looked over the camp and her eyes widened at the many tents that stood on the ground. However, she could tell by the expressions on Theoden, Aragorn, and Éomer's faces that it was not enough.
Soon, Avelina and Éowyn's tent was set up and Éowyn led Avelina went inside. "Your uncle did not seem happy with the turn out," Avelina said gently as she threw her long braid over her shoulder and began to lay out her and Éowyn's bed rolls. Éowyn looked at Avelina as she brushed out her hair.
"They will be greatly outnumbered even with the Gondorian soldiers," she said quietly. "Every spear is needed." Avelina stood and nodded her head in understanding.
"I'm going to help prepare the food. I know you must be hungry. I shall bring you a bowl when it is ready." Éowyn smiled at Avelina and stopped her as she made to leave the tent. Avelina looked at her expectantly.
"Thank you, my friend," Éowyn said and Avelina nodded with a smile before she left the tent and began to make something hot for as many people as she could.
Éowyn had eaten and returned to her tent with Merry following behind her talking about how he wanted to help but did not have the proper armor as an esquire of Rohan. Avelina smiled as she kneeled next to the fire and dished out the remaining stew into a bowl for herself and smiled at Éomer and Gamling as they ate near the fire.
They sat in silence until Merry came out of the tent. Avelina smiled when she saw him dressed in the armor of the men of Rohan and swashed about his sword. The men had nearly finished their meal and Éowyn laughed at Merry.
"To the smithy, go!" Éowyn said happily. Éomer watched Merry walk away and Avelina did the same with a small smile on her face.
"You should not encourage him," Éomer said after he took a bite of his bread. Avelina looked at him as did his sister as she stood behind him.
"You should not doubt him," she said. Avelina stopped eating and watched the pair. Éomer looked at Avelina briefly before he looked at his bread.
"I do not doubt his heart, only the reach of his arm," Éomer said before he took another bite of his bread. Gamling laughed but Éowyn looked at the two men seriously.
"Why should Merry be left behind; he has as much cause go to war as you!" Éowyn said and Avelina looked at her friend. She saw the same fire in Éowyn's as she had seen so many times in Éomer. He was silent as his sister spoke and listened to her words. "Why can he not fight for those he loves?" she asked before she turned and went into her tent. Avelina looked at the tent and then at Éomer.
"I know," she began but stopped when Éomer looked at her. She took a deep breath before she continued. "I know that you both speak the truth. Merry is small and there is a great chance he would not make it a quarter of an hour on the battle field, but he wants to fight for those that he loves and for the land he calls his home." The look in his eyes frightened her.
"Do you think he would face battle head on? He would flee when the screams and blood became too much. You know this as much as I Avelina," he said. She knew he did not mean to sound angry with her, he was merely readying himself for what he would face soon, however, she did not want to remember him that way if he did not return. She met his gaze and shook her head.
"That is one possibility, but we do not know his strength. Who knows what one is capable of until they are faced with the unthinkable?" She sat her nearly full bowl down and stood. She walked away and pulled her cloak tighter around her as she looked out over the camp. An eerie quiet filled the air, one she did not like, but when she looked to the king's tent she saw Aragorn walking into it. She sighed and returned her gaze over the camp below until a pair of hands on her shoulder turned her around. Avelina looked up and in the moonlight her dark blue eyes met the dark hazel ones of Éomer.
"You speak the truth, but tomorrow would not be the time to test a young hobbit's strength so needlessly," he said as he lowered his hands from her shoulder. Avelina just looked at him and nodded before he took her hands into his and held them gently. "Avelina, there is something I want to tell you before I ride off tomorrow. I know now is probably not the best time, but I feel as though I cannot ride without telling you." Avelina furrowed her brow and scanned his face. "I . . . care deeply for you Avelina, and I want you to know that I will do all that I can to see your face once this war is over." Avelina's eyes widened but she found herself blinking back tears.
"You cannot mean that," she said in a whisper and his grip tightened on her hands. "I have nothing to offer you, nothing that is deserving of you." Éomer shook his head.
"You have everything, Avelina, and if anything in this world is true it is that I am not deserving of you." He let go of one of her hands and gently caressed her cheek, an action he found that he had done since first finding her. "And I would not say the words if I did not mean them. I know not whether this feeling in my heart is love as of yet, but it is close to it, oh so close." A tear fell from her eye and Éomer wiped it away. Before she even knew what she was doing she closed the distance between them and placed one of her hands on the back of his neck. Éomer lowered his hand as he looked at her and she pulled his head down towards hers. With a slight tilt of her head she raised her lips to his and kissed him tenderly as another tear fell from her eye.
Éomer stiffened slightly but soon relaxed and returned her gentle kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. After a moment, Avelina pulled her lips away from his and pulled back slightly from him. She looked up and met his dark eyes. She raised a trembling hand to his cheek and caressed his upper cheek down to his scratchy bearded chin before she lowered her hand.
"Come back to me, for my heart could not stand to lose another that I love," she whispered before she briefly kissed him once more and rushed away from him and into her and Éowyn's tent leaving the horse lord standing near the cliff and a small smile forming on his face as well as a deeper and more powerful resolve to destroy every enemy that steps into his path and return to the woman who loves him.
Éomer turned to make his way to his own tent when he stopped. He remembered the silent conversation he shared with Avelina's horse and he looked to where he stood tied next to Éowyn's horse to see him looking directly at him. With a nod of his head Sigeric snorted and returned to grazing on the thin blades of grass in front of him. Éomer furrowed his brow and continued to look at the horse before Eothain pulled him from his thoughts.
"My lord, it would be best for you to retire. There is a long journey ahead of us in the morn," Eothain said a knowing smile gracing his older features for he had witnessed the private moment between his marshal and Avelina. Éomer looked at him and nodded.
"Aye and you should retire as well, my friend," Éomer said before he continued on his way and entered his tent. Eothain smiled and nodded his head when Éomer disappeared into his tent before he too retired for the night.